I note that Mayor Coleman is coming after our property taxes again (“Coleman wants $2M more in property taxes. Here’s why,” Aug. 14). St. Paul is a tiny example of a larger problem. Like a guy who has five credit cards in his wallet with too many bills to pay, he looks to his credit cards to bail him out. You and I as homeowners are his credit cards. Just last week, a county assessor left a Post-it note on my front door that says, “We assessed your home; no further action is needed.” Baloney! My action is to brace for the hit that is to come.

The folly of the Minnesota Legislature versus city government when it comes to property tax is a balloon about to burst. You see the open checkbook of every single public “construction” project, and “iPads” in the public schools cost money. But these new expenses come on top of the bill that is in front of the mayor and City Council, and they need to figure how to make the payment. The recent council action to approve $910K for bike paths on Jefferson — by stealing it from Palace Rec is a perfect example. For the sake of appeasing a few, the masses are punished. Welcome to the politics of local government when one party is in control. These payments that have come due are to pay benefits, health care, pensions and a constant supply of artificially high-wage union jobs that have to be paid to guarantee next season’s votes. And the payments are coming in the form of a credit card cash advance from you and me as homeowners.

Craig Anderson, St. Paul

The best strategy:

thank a teacher

The Aug. 17 Spotlight Letter “thanks a teacher who cared” for having a strong influence in the shaping of who the writer ultimately became. His letter celebrates an incredible teacher. As I sat in the packed church at Ginny Sullivan’s funeral I saw hundreds of students and their families who came to also celebrate an incredible teacher.

In the Sunday New York Times, there was an article “Teaching is not a business” by David Kirp, a professor at the University of California-Berkley. He says “there is simply no substitute for the personal element in education.”

I hope Ginny’s spirit will encourage others to thank a teacher who made a difference in their life. Maybe this is the best strategy for school improvement and reform.

Shannon LeClair, Lilydale

The consequences

It was disturbing to read about a local restaurant that is being vilified because the owner had the audacity to remind its patrons of the real result of legislation raising the minimum wage (“Uh, server, what’s this 35-cent ‘min wage fee’?” Aug. 9).

Since Aug. 1, each party at this restaurant must pay a 35-cent “minimum wage fee,” which gets added to the bill. After all, everyone knows the government-imposed wage increase will simply be paid for by the customer.

But the outrage, including death threats, is a little over the top. Apparently, the left is a little thin-skinned and doesn’t like to be reminded of any negative consequences of its social meddling with the free-market system. In other words, “see no evil.”

I say, own the consequences of your decision to vote liberal and quit trying to shout down the rest of us conservatives who do not agree with your big-brother government and your classic socialist tactics.

Richard Smasal, Afton

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